GMO moratorium needed until safety can be assured

June 1, 2013

I feel compelled to include pertinent research regarding the risks of genetically modified organisms, as I believe the May 26 article did not adequately address them.

The biotech industry safety studies last 90 days. Despite Monsanto's patent controls on independent research, there was a two-year French study conducted on 200 rats. Fifty percent of the males and 70 percent of the females fed GMO corn died prematurely compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group. The affected GMO-fed rats had huge tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as well. These problems did not show up in the first 90 days. The research was published in the reputable journal "Food and Chemical Toxicology" in November 2012 after it was subjected to rigorous peer review.

Monsanto's response was to criticize the kinds of rats used while ignoring the fact that the control group was the same breed of rat.

Many are protesting on Maui out of concern for their health and their children. Surely we need a moratorium on new GMOs and require labeling and independent studies of human health effects until safety is assured.